Danny Ainge: "Making the playoffs is not a goal" (12/13)

[clover]

Danny Ainge should be embarrassed of himself to even say such a thing. How dare he?

The job of a team's GM should be to see his team succeed on a yearly basis for the FANS, not to see them be bad so they can catch lightening in a bottle with a future draft pick?

I am sick to my stomach that he said and may even quit being a Celtics fan. The only thing that drives me to watch this team is the hustle of the players.

As for Danny Ainge, he can go straight to hell. I am also starting to think that he gets some sort of sick pleasure out of watching the Celtics play poorly instead of playing well.

Like literally, I bet he must've hated 2007-2010 when we were the best team in the league which is why he started to disband our championship in 2011 by dealing Perk, then trying to trade Ray "only to change his mind."

As for acquiring KG, that was all Kevin McHale!!

If I were a GM of a team, I would NEVER say something like that. Then again, I still look at sports through the eyes of a fan, NOT a business man and not worried more about what the Celts will look like in the year 3029 instead of what they look like tonight.

I think you completely misunderstood what Danny Ainge said as nothing you pointed out had to do with what Ainge said here.

Well...his quote was "making the playoffs is not a goal."
To me, that's pretty cut and dry. Unless he was joking.

What he was saying is that he's not for making the playoffs as a bad team, backing in only because of a poor division, etc. He's interested in the team winning championships ("championship driven"), as he should be. Had the C's not made the playoffs for a decade or so, then yeah, simply making the playoffs by hook or by crook could be a goal.

I'm relieved he's not in favor of passing off mediocrity as 'competitive' when it's not.

[Celtics18]

Danny Ainge should be embarrassed of himself to even say such a thing. How dare he?

The job of a team's GM should be to see his team succeed on a yearly basis for the FANS, not to see them be bad so they can catch lightening in a bottle with a future draft pick

I am sick to my stomach that he said this and may even quit being a Celtics fan. The only thing that drives me to watch this team is the hustle of the players.

As for Danny Ainge, he can go straight to hell. I am also starting to think that he gets some sort of sick pleasure out of watching the Celtics play poorly instead of playing well.

Like literally, I bet he must've hated 2007-2010 when we were the best team in the league which is why he started to disband our championship team in 2011 by dealing Perk, then trying to trade Ray "only to change his mind."

As for acquiring KG, that was all Kevin McHale!!

If I were a GM of a team, I would NEVER say something like that. Then again, I still look at sports through the eyes of a fan, NOT a business man and not worried more about what the Celts will look like in the year 3029 instead of what they look like tonight.

Not everything is so black and white. Making the playoffs does little to develop this team for the future as I've said many times. I'm glad to hear DA say this because he's not getting caught up in a historically bad year for the east. He's thinking about the future, it doesn't matter so much what they look like this year, it only matters what certain players look like this year. Humphries, Wallace and Bass aren't going to be around much longer.

DA wants to see AB, Kelly, Sully and Fav develop, everyone else it just kind of there.

Danny didn't say anything remotely resembling what you just wrote.  You are projecting your own opinions onto the GM of the Celtics.

[sed522002]

Danny Ainge should be embarrassed of himself to even say such a thing. How dare he?

The job of a team's GM should be to see his team succeed on a yearly basis for the FANS, not to see them be bad so they can catch lightening in a bottle with a future draft pick

I am sick to my stomach that he said this and may even quit being a Celtics fan. The only thing that drives me to watch this team is the hustle of the players.

As for Danny Ainge, he can go straight to hell. I am also starting to think that he gets some sort of sick pleasure out of watching the Celtics play poorly instead of playing well.

Like literally, I bet he must've hated 2007-2010 when we were the best team in the league which is why he started to disband our championship team in 2011 by dealing Perk, then trying to trade Ray "only to change his mind."

As for acquiring KG, that was all Kevin McHale!!

If I were a GM of a team, I would NEVER say something like that. Then again, I still look at sports through the eyes of a fan, NOT a business man and not worried more about what the Celts will look like in the year 3029 instead of what they look like tonight.

I think once you get pass the quote and further into what he's saying you'd understand better. He would be shortsighting this team by saying making the playoffs is the ultimate goal...it's not. Developing these players so that they're able to compete in the playoffs (legitimately)and win a championship in the future. Making the playoffs by default doesn't necessarily improve development. 

[LarBrd33]

I mean... whatever.   Making the playoffs definitely isn't a goal for this team.  Priorities are developing the young talent and increasing trade value for our vets.

Making the playoffs with a losing record doesn't really serve our long-term goals as much as getting a top 8 pick.   Brooklyn is only a game behind us now and they are looking good now that D-Will is back.  Knicks should start winning too. I  could see us falling behind the Cavs eventually also.

[BballTim]

Danny Ainge should be embarrassed of himself to even say such a thing. How dare he?

The job of a team's GM should be to see his team succeed on a yearly basis for the FANS, not to see them be bad so they can catch lightening in a bottle with a future draft pick?

I am sick to my stomach that he said and may even quit being a Celtics fan. The only thing that drives me to watch this team is the hustle of the players.

As for Danny Ainge, he can go straight to hell. I am also starting to think that he gets some sort of sick pleasure out of watching the Celtics play poorly instead of playing well.

Like literally, I bet he must've hated 2007-2010 when we were the best team in the league which is why he started to disband our championship in 2011 by dealing Perk, then trying to trade Ray "only to change his mind."

As for acquiring KG, that was all Kevin McHale!!

If I were a GM of a team, I would NEVER say something like that. Then again, I still look at sports through the eyes of a fan, NOT a business man and not worried more about what the Celts will look like in the year 3029 instead of what they look like tonight.

I think you completely misunderstood what Danny Ainge said as nothing you pointed out had to do with what Ainge said here.

Well...his quote was "making the playoffs is not a goal."
To me, that's pretty cut and dry. Unless he was joking.

If you ignore everything he says afterwards... CONTEXT, it always matters.

I guess. My beef is would it have killed him to say "I think we have an unthinkable chance of going really far this year and surprising people. The East is really bad. Perhaps I was thinking more long-term going into the season, BUT seeing as though our players are playing hard every night, it would really make me happy to see us get into the playoffs and be a sleeper team that can do a lot of damage."

That's what I would've said.  Again, I'll continue to root for our team but only because of our players, certainly not because of DA.

  He's not saying he wants to miss the playoffs. Just that he's trying to develop a good team, and that he'll judge that by how well they play and the players develop. If the team wins 38 games (for example) he won't feel better or worse about the team if they make the playoffs, they're still a below .500 team.

[jc3celticsphan]

danny stating the obvious he wants his team to improve and he doesnt like being 10-14 right now.

players do respond to this and hopefully they keep improving

not so much for wallace wish he could change his attitude out there because he doesnt look happy here. no one is going to take wallace from us and i think wallace knows that. he still shows signs of being a solid player i like his hustle but hes not proving hes worth 10 mill

[GreenWarrior]

I have no problems with what Ainge said and realize us making the playoffs is probably more of a reality because of the state of the Eastern Conference rather than what we're doing or how good or bad we actually are.

But if "making the playoffs is not a goal" then he is either underestimating how good rondo is(which I don't think he would), or doesn't want to see rondo coming back till very late or at all this season, or like I said earlier if he comes back a couple weeks before the trade deadline then I'd expect to see him moved. it would seem too convenient imo.

Also if rondo does come back for a good duration of the remainder of the season he doesn't make us a borderline 8th seed, I could easily see us being a 5th or 6th seed in the East.

[GreenWarrior]

no one is going to take wallace from us and i think wallace knows that.

which is why I hate him even more. because he could always just make the best of a bad situation.

[jc3celticsphan]

no one is going to take wallace from us and i think wallace knows that.

which is why I hate him even more. because he could always just make the best of a bad situation.

stevens could make him a great player but hes just not buying in.  atleast he hustles for his teamates out there hopefully eventually he can turn it around

[Sketch5]

Im not sure why people are upset about this.

In a rebuilding year, right after you've gut your team, and hire a new coach, the goal should never be make the playoffs. It should be establishing a style of play for the coaching staff, and developing the young players for either trade or to become complementary pieces for when the team gets better.

The problem is usually when teams do this there isn't a hype draft the following year, and there are more teams trying to make the playoffs. The Atlantic is really weak, I think the Knicks should have been a lot better and Brooklyn wouldn't be far behind at this point. At least Brooklyn is making a move and actually looking better, eve though Lopez went down last night. So they should be able to take care of that part of it, now its just loose enough games to stay out of the 7th or 8th spot.

[BballTim]

I have no problems with what Ainge said and realize us making the playoffs is probably more of a reality because of the state of the Eastern Conference rather than what we're doing or how good or bad we actually are.

But if "making the playoffs is not a goal" then he is either underestimating how good rondo is(which I don't think he would), or doesn't want to see rondo coming back till very late or at all this season, or like I said earlier if he comes back a couple weeks before the trade deadline then I'd expect to see him moved. it would seem too convenient imo.

Also if rondo does come back for a good duration of the remainder of the season he doesn't make us a borderline 8th seed, I could easily see us being a 5th or 6th seed in the East.

  Making the playoffs isn't a goal doesn't mean missing the playoffs is a goal. Rondo would probably say leading the league in assists isn't a goal of his, but that doesn't mean that he's going to stop passing the ball if he's leading the league in order to avoid it.

[LooseCannon]

I’m concerned about just getting better, developing our players and trying to get some chemistry.

Does this mean that Ainge would be more reluctant than usual to make a trade that disrupts team chemistry and the system that Brad Stevens is trying to build?

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

He wants a shot at Jabari, randke, wiggins etc and why not? Adding one of those top 6-7 guys in the draft to this team with a healthy Rondo would be phenomenal.

yep. But we may not get them because stevens is doing a great job getting the most out of this motley crue.

[Boris Badenov]

I have no problems with what Ainge said and realize us making the playoffs is probably more of a reality because of the state of the Eastern Conference rather than what we're doing or how good or bad we actually are.

But if "making the playoffs is not a goal" then he is either underestimating how good rondo is(which I don't think he would), or doesn't want to see rondo coming back till very late or at all this season, or like I said earlier if he comes back a couple weeks before the trade deadline then I'd expect to see him moved. it would seem too convenient imo.

Also if rondo does come back for a good duration of the remainder of the season he doesn't make us a borderline 8th seed, I could easily see us being a 5th or 6th seed in the East.

  Making the playoffs isn't a goal doesn't mean missing the playoffs is a goal. Rondo would probably say leading the league in assists isn't a goal of his, but that doesn't mean that he's going to stop passing the ball if he's leading the league in order to avoid it.

That sums it up perfectly.

[Eddie20]

Danny Ainge should be embarrassed of himself to even say such a thing. How dare he?

The job of a team's GM should be to see his team succeed on a yearly basis for the FANS, not to see them be bad so they can catch lightening in a bottle with a future draft pick

I am sick to my stomach that he said this and may even quit being a Celtics fan. The only thing that drives me to watch this team is the hustle of the players.

As for Danny Ainge, he can go straight to hell. I am also starting to think that he gets some sort of sick pleasure out of watching the Celtics play poorly instead of playing well.

Like literally, I bet he must've hated 2007-2010 when we were the best team in the league which is why he started to disband our championship team in 2011 by dealing Perk, then trying to trade Ray "only to change his mind."

As for acquiring KG, that was all Kevin McHale!!

If I were a GM of a team, I would NEVER say something like that. Then again, I still look at sports through the eyes of a fan, NOT a business man and not worried more about what the Celts will look like in the year 3029 instead of what they look like tonight.

Not wanting to make the playoffs is a lot different than not having it as a goal. It doesn't mean that he wants us to lose, but that other things (player development, developing a culture, having your rookie learn the NBA way, etc.) supersedes it.